Vermont Drug Sweep Nets Two North Adams Women

RUTLAND, Vt. — Local, state and federal law enforcement agencies made a massive drug sweep in southwestern Vermont on Tuesday that has resulted in 20 arrests so far, including two North Adams, Mass., women.

One individual is still being sought and 10 more defendants are facing federal drug charges and will be prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney's Office as a result of arrests that took place during the past several weeks.  

Arrested were Cassie Morse, 26, and Shari Perras, 24, both of North Adams, both of whom are facing heroin charges.

All of these arrests were the culmination of enforcement efforts over the past year, specifically targeting those individuals involved in the distribution of illicit drugs. Drug enforcement efforts continue to focus on the heroin/opiate epidemic and distribution networks operating in Vermont communities.

The arrests were announced on Wednesday morning at a press conference in Rutland.

"These arrests involved people coming to Vermont from out of state and bringing heroin, and bringing crack but they also involve the local infrastructure that facilitates the sale of drugs in Vermont," said U.S. Attorney for Vermont Eric Miller at Wednesday's briefing. "Unless we continue to go after both of those groups, we're not going to be effective in combating this crisis."

Dozens of arrests have been made in the past 18 months of Vermonters and out-of-staters, mostly from Brooklyn, N.Y., he said, that have affected a loose organization of drug distribution.

"We think we made a significant dent in the organizations through these joint efforts," Miller said.

The Vermont Drug Task Force has worked collaboratively with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Drug Enforcement Agency, Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, and local and county law enforcement agencies in southwestern Vermont to include state and federal prosecutors.

Arraignments will be held in the Bennington County Superior Court on Feb. 29 at 1 p.m and Rutland County Superior Court on March 7 at 1 p.m.

Chelsea Hill, 24 of Rutland, and Sherrie Fitzgerald, 52 of Rutland, will be arraigned at Rutland County Superior Court, Criminal Division on Feb. 19, at 1 p.m.

Charges listed below are single counts unless otherwise indicated:

State Defendants

• Colleen M. Keefe, 43: sale of cocaine
• Robert S. Grady, 34: sale of heroin, three counts
• Timothy B. Euber, 38: sale of heroin
• Casey Clifford, 22: sale of heroin, two counts; sale of fentanyl
• Anthony Courcelle, 21: sale of heroin
• Daniel Pyne, 30: sale of regulated drug (oxycodone)
• Jerry Crandall, 46: sale of cocaine, sale of regulated drug (oxycodone)
• Cassie Morse, 26: sale of heroin, two counts
• Candi Peters, 36: sale of heroin, two counts
• Shari Perras, 24: sale of heroin
• Andrew Onorato, 31: sale of heroin, two counts
• Chelsea Hill, 24: sale of heroin, two counts; conspiracy
• Sheri Fitzgerald, 52: sale of heroin, conspiracy
• Spencer Mumford, 23: sale of heroin
• Kevin Scully, 25: sale of cocaine
• Felicia Ackley, 28: sale of cocaine, two counts
• Christopher Nadeau, 26: sale of heroin
• William Manfredi, 36: sale of heroin
• Carlos Vasquez, 42: heroin trafficking, heroin transportation and conspiracy
• John Mason, 33: sale of heroin

 
Wanted
Richard Winnie, 42: sale heroin

Federal Arrests

Kevin Williams (aka Cap, Capone), 42: sale of heroin, three counts

Jason Tiraboschi, 27: possession of a firearm

Amanda Gibbons, 31, arrested 12/31/15, Indicted 1/7/16, charged with three counts of distribution of heroin, each count carrying potential maximum sentence of 20 years.  

Patrick Lorenzo, 33, arrested 1/12/16, Indicted 1/20/16, charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute heroin, carrying potential maximum sentence of 20 years.

Candace Alberti,  33, arrested 1/19/16, indicted on 2/3/16 charged with conspiracy to distribute heroin, carrying potential maximum sentence of 20 years.  

Russell Gaspar, 32, arrested 1/19/16, indicted on 2/3/16 charged with conspiracy to distribute heroin, carrying potential maximum sentence of 20 years.  

Mark McGinnis, 37, arrested 1/21/16, indicted, 2/11/16 charged with distribution of heroin, carrying potential maximum sentence of 20 years.

Jaiden Paige, 35, arrested 2/1/16, indicted 2/11/16, charged with distribution of heroin, carrying potential maximum sentence of 20 years.

Jennifer Webster, 26, arrested 2/1/16, indicted 2/11/16, charged with distribution of heroin, carrying potential maximum sentence of 20 years.

Kwasi Asante, 57, arrested 2/1/16, indicted 2/11/16, charged with distribution of heroin, carrying potential maximum sentence of 20 years.

Police Say Peru Man's Death Not Suspicious

WINDSOR, Mass. — The body of a Peru man was discovered in Windsor on Friday morning.

Investigators say the body of 62-year-old Thomas Keeley of East Windsor Road was found off River Road in Windsor about 8 a.m. Friday.

Police say the death does not appear to be suspicious at this time. The investigation is being conducted by state police detectives assigned to the district attorney's office.

Multiple Fire Departments Respond to Windsor Blaze

Flames could be seen coming from the roof of a home on Cheshire Road.

WINDSOR, Mass. — Five local fire departments were braving frigid temperatures  on Wednesday to battle a structure fire at 1061 Cheshire Road.

The blaze was reported at about 3:23 p.m. at the single-family home along the rural road near the town line with Cheshire.

Dalton, Savoy, Worthington and Plainfield volunteer fire departments responded to the scene along with Windsor firefighters.

The home is owned by a James Lewis, according to documents on file at the Registry of Deeds.

Adams Fire Department and Forest Wardens are standing by for Windsor, with a firetruck and a tanker from the Forest Wardens.

Cheshire and Lanesborough departments were also asked to respond at about 5:40 p.m. Peru and Hinsdale, which sent a bus with portable heaters, also responded.

The Red Cross was also going to the scene to provide assistance to the family, two adults and a child.

Red Cross officials say the Lewises are being provided with emergency shelter at a hotel and emergency funds for clothing, food, shoes and winter coats. They were also provided with "comfort kits," which contain toiletries like tooth brushes and razors.